Preview: Oilers at Coyotes

January 29, 2013|Reuters

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Preview: Oilers at Coyotes

Chad Johnson earned a shutout in his first start with the Phoenix Coyotes, who had allowed a league-high 20 goals in the five games before Monday's 4-0 win against Nashville. Whether it's Johnson or Jason LaBarbera in net for the Coyotes on Wednesday, Phoenix will need more consistency in the crease when it hosts the youthful offense of the Edmonton Oilers. Coyotes starter Mike Smith allowed 10 goals in his first two starts this season before injuring his groin. Johnson was recalled from the American Hockey League to back up LaBarbera, who faltered against San Jose and Los Angeles, allowing four goals in each game.

In its last two contests, Edmonton has scored seven goals - with six of those coming on the power play. All four of the Oilers' tallies against Colorado on Monday were scored with the man advantage. Jordan Eberle, rookie defenseman Justin Schultz, rookie Nail Yakupov and Ales Hemsky have two power-play goals apiece. Phoenix averaged four penalties per game in its first six and has allowed five goals while short-handed. Edmonton is drawing 5.6 penalties per game, and its power-play production is vital since starting netminder Devan Dubnyk has a 3.18 goals-against average through five starts.

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ABOUT THE OILERS (3-2-0): Taylor Hall leads the team with six assists and seven points. Schultz, who leads Edmonton defensemen with five points, leads all Oilers skaters in average time on ice with 23:18 per game. Yakupov has three goals but is minus-4. Eberle leads the team with 22 shots. No Oilers skater has more than one even-strength goal. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has four assists, but hasn't scored on 11 shots.

ABOUT THE COYOTES (2-4-0): Radim Vrbata leads the team with six points and 24 shots. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who has two goals and five points, leads Phoenix with 24:40 average time on ice. Defenseman Derek Morris, who has four assists, leads the team with 20 hits. Defensemen Zbynek Michalek and David Schlemko are tied for the team lead with 17 blocked shots. Captain Shane Doan has four points, 15 hits and 23 shots.

OVERTIME

1. The Coyotes swept the Oilers in the 2011-12 regular season, winning each game in Phoenix by a 4-2 margin.

2. Edmonton has not yet played a road game outside Canada this season. The Oilers defeated Vancouver 3-2 in a shootout and lost to Calgary 4-3 in their first two road games.

3. Oilers placed backup goaltender Yann Danis on waivers Tuesday, suggesting Nikolai Khabibulin is nearing a return from the hip surgery that he had in April.